The Deal
by OwlIs
Summary: Based on spoilers for 3X12. With Brick running rampant, the team may be forced to take extreme measures to stop him. While most on Team Arrow are willing to accept Malcolm temporarily, Felicity isn't. And the loud voice comes out.


**Hey all! I'm so excited to be writing for the Arrow fan base for a change! This is based off of a spoiler I read where Malcolm offers to join Team Arrow to help stop the new villain Brick to settle a personal vendetta. Laurel and Roy are in on the idea, but definitely not Felicity. This is my take on it.**

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><p>Felicity sat outside Verdant, staring at the doors and thinking about how many times she had come and gone. Most of the time she was happy. Scared, shocked, nervous, excited, happy, thrilled, and worried were all also up on the list of emotions she had about Verdant.<p>

But today, she felt nothing but empty sorrow. Because for the first time since the news, she would be going in without Oliver.

Oliver. Her friend. Partner. Almost ex-boyfriend. Kind of like a half-ex-boyfriend, since they had only made it through the first stage of their first date before getting blown up.

She couldn't think about him without her gut clenching, heart threatening to tear itself in half. And every time she felt that way, she thought about how many times worse Oliver must have felt, having lost so many more people he loved than she ever did. The only consolation was that he was beyond all pain and could never hurt again. Hopefully, if there was any mercy in this world, he was at peace. Happy. With Shadow and Sara and Moira.

But the worst pain came from the tiny space in her heart, so small that it hardly existed, that believed that Oliver was still out there. Alive. It was small, but powerful. So powerful that most of the time she was only half mourning, believing that he really was coming back. In pain from the fight, but alive and healing. Healing so he could come back, so he could keep his promise. His multiple promises that he would never leave her, never die on her, always return to her. They never found a body. How many other people had tried and failed to kill him?

This pain was the worst above all because of the hope it caused. It hurt to think that again he was broken. Mending. Alone. Wondering if they were looking for him. But realistically it was impossible. Malcolm never would have dared to visit otherwise. He had a sword as proof, which matched his DNA and blood type. She had checked ten thousand times.

But she didn't have time to think about that now. Felicity rubbed both of her eyes, trying to get rid of any left over tears before forcing herself out of her car and on the way to the door. They needed her. The villains didn't stop just because the Arrow died. In fact, they had never been worse.

Oliver would have wanted the team to get them all off the street to prevent any more casualties.

Just as Felicity gained a little bit of self composure and calm, she saw Malcolm Merlyn standing in the foundry, surrounded by Roy, Laurel, and Diggle. What confused her the most was that none of them were attacking him. Not even holding a gun or a knife or a sword to his throat.

Instantly, the sorrow she had been feeling transformed into red, hot anger. How _dare_ he come here? Acting like he owned the place because he could shoot a bow and arrow.

"What is he doing here?" Felicity demanded, the malice and venom in her voice surprising even her.

"Felicity," Diggle spoke softly, raising his hand as though he were talking to a wild animal.

"No. How could you...how could _any _of you let this-this horrible human being, no. He isn't even a human being. He's a monster. How could you let such a sick _psychopath_ in here? In Oliver's secret hideout under his club?!" Felicity spat, purposely not using the phrase Arrow cave for Oliver's sake. If there was ever a day or time to use her loud voice, it was now.

"He's here to help." Roy said.

"He can't help us."

"We need him." Laurel said, taking a step forward.

"You have no say in this." Felicity argued, turning her anger on the attorney. "You may have known him since you were children, but you have no idea what he went through on that island that changed him. You have no idea how much he suffered, how much he sacrificed to keep you...to keep this entire city safe despite never getting any credit or respect. And no matter what he did it was never enough. As much as you wanted to be, you were never a part of this team so you don't get a vote."

Laurel stiffened. "Well I'm a part of the team now. And you have no idea what he went through on that island either."

"No, Laurel, I don't know." Felicity said coldly. "He never told anyone about that part of his life." A lump of rage and sorrow rose in her throat as she thought about how lonely he must have been to have never told anyone, to have faced it all by himself, but she pushed it down. "But I do know that he never trusted anyone when he got back. Not even..."

A sob came out instead of words. A part of her didn't want to speak. The small part that remained unbroken from Oliver's death, the part of her that didn't want anyone else- especially someone he cared for- to hurt anymore.

Roy walked over, quietly calling her name as he attempted to comfort her.

"No, don't touch me." She whispered, backing up and wrapping her arms around herself. She never wanted to be touched again. The only person she wanted to touch was dead, somewhere on the side of a mountain with a gaping hole in his chest. Alone. The way he knew he to die. The same way Sara died.

"Felicity, you at least need to hear him out." Roy said quietly.

"I can help you." Malcolm said.

"What could you possibly help us with?" Felicity snapped.

"We have a common goal." He spoke calmly, folding his arms as though he were discussing a simple business deal. "You want Brick off the streets. I want him killed."

"So we work with murderers now." She deadpanned. "Use one to kill another."

"Brick is killing innocents." Roy said. "We can't do this alone."

"It's better than working with _him_. He murdered his son, Tommy." She looked at Laurel. "Your _boyfriend_. He coerced Thea, your _ex-girlfriend_, into killing Sara, _your_ sister! And he killed Oliver! He knew Oliver would never let the League kill Thea, so he took her place. He's the reason this all happened, the reason the Gambit went down, the reason Oliver was stranded on Hell for five years!" Felicity yelled, desperate for someone to see the way she saw this. This betrayal, this break of loyalty. "Dig,"

Diggle looked her in the eyes, and she knew that he understood, but not enough. "We have to save the citizens Felicity. It's what Oliver would have wanted."

"I know that's what he would have wanted! He built this entire thing from nothing so he could help this city. We're practically nothing without him. And he wouldn't have wanted us to help the city in this way. Not with his help." Felicity said.

Everyone looked down at the ground, clearly guilty and having second thoughts, but not enough to change their minds.

"So this is what it's going to be then?" Felicity couldn't take it anymore. Couldn't believe what was happening. "I have to go."

"No, Felicity," Roy grabbed her arm, firmly keeping her from the stairs. "Please,"

"Roy, let go of me." She snapped. "You may let him help you, but I don't. I don't have to have a part in this." She turned to Diggle. "Dig,"

He nodded. "Roy, let her go."

Roy dropped his hand, watching as Felicity fled up the stairs.

"She needs time." Diggle said, watching the third member of Arrow leave. "She's hurting."

"We're all hurting." Laurel argued. "She's not the only one who lost a friend."

"Not in the same way." Diggle said to himself, shaking his head.

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><p><strong>And that's what I think will happen in 3x12. I think it's unlikely that Diggle will let Malcolm join Team Arrow, but at the same time, I don't think that the writers will pass up the opportunity for the Dark Archer to join the team! That will be a very interesting predicament and I can't wait to see how it will turn out!<strong>


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